Over eighty percent of Nepal’s population live in rural areas. Lack of income generating opportunities in these areas have been a major cause of widespread poverty and outflow of productive workforce abroad. With aims to cater the needs of socially excluded groups living below the poverty lines by promoting off-farm employment, the Government of Nepal (GoN) and the UNDP started implementing Micro Enterprise Development Program (MEDEP) in 1998....Read More

What have we accomplished so far

In 2015, the focus of MEDEP was to ensure a full Government ownership of this poverty-reduction vehicle and to further strengthen micro enterprise associations’ ability to deliver business development services for their members. Despite the challenges resulting from the earthquake and the significant loss to the gains MEDEP had made in the previous years, several milestones were reached in 2015.

14,200 new micro entrepreneurs were created, thus helping to alleviate their poverty conditions, exceeding the project target of 10,000. Till date, MEDEP has created 76,322 microenterprises and contributed to the creation of over 90,000 jobs for the rural poor and socially excluded groups.

Government Implementing Partners:
Ministry of Federal Affairsl and Local Development, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conversation, Ministry of Agriculture Development, District Development Committee (DDC), Cottage and Small Industries Development Board (CSIDB), National Federation of Micro Entrepreneurs Nepal (NMEFEN), District Cottage and Small Industries Office (DCSIO), District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Industrial Enterprise Development Institute (IEDI), District Federations of Indigenous Nationalities, Dalits Organizations, relevant line agencies such as District Forest Office (DFO), District Agriculture Development Office (DADO), District Livestock Service Office (DLSO), Women Development Office, Business Development Service Providing Organisation (BDSPO), MFI partners – district-wise.

Private sector and civil society implementing partners:
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Nepalese Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI) and private business houses.